Katies Mind
by x.holli.x
Summary: Okay, well basically this story is based in a modern day world, and in the land from the Wind Singer. Its no where near finished, and the middles a bit rubbishy. But please review! :- xxxxxxxx
1. Chapter 1

Lonely roads of dusty cobbles lead the way into the ruined distance. The craving fiery ball of sun is the only thing beating the rhythm of life in this place. A slow thirsty rhythm. Thirsty for water, for life and for blood.

But deep in the non existence of this place, there lies a void. A deep black hole, blackness within black. It has no bottom, and anyone unfortunate enough to venture near is devoured, and in turn they become the devourers.

This place is Katie's mind.

She sits on the bank, eyes alert. Staring. Reaching, into the night. Frail white arms cling tightly around her. Desperately trying to comfort the bruised body they belong to.

A whispered breeze lingers around this place. And on the water below a faint mist pulls longingly, its fingers grasping almost affectionately at the green bank above. Behind, there is a forest. It is from there Katie came. It is a place of secrets.

A snap. The crunch as a twig is broken underneath unwilling feet. Katie's arms swing around wildly, wary eyes searching and feeling out into the night, scanning the black for unseeable shapes; possible dangers. She is not alone.

"Boo!"

She frowns. A smiling boyish face hovers above her.

"Aren't you pleased to see me?" Will says. The boy has tawny auburn hair, and innocent blue eyes which do not reflect his actual age of 15.

Katie looks him up and down, taking in his ruffled adidas shirt. It troubles her that he has come. She knows it is not safe for him here.

Will's face crumples, as he sees the displeasure in her eyes. She sighs, then smiles wanely, slipping scratched hands into the pockets of her nightgown as he flops down on the bank next to her.

They just sit for a few minutes. Listening to the silence of the night, in harmony with each others thoughts.

Will was Katie's best friend. Strange. They were an unlikely pair. Will's easygoing bubbly mannerism contrasting with Katie's silent and unearthly guestures. Most people immediately disliked Katie, they thought her odd, and cold, they shied away from her long blonde hair and grey eyes. But then, Will wasn't like most people. Will understood.

Will turns to look at Katie. He takes in her blonde hair and grey eyes, and frowns. Sometimes it felt like the two of them were slipping apart.

But as Katie's face turned towards him, tears streaming down. He reached for her hand and knew that they would always be one whole. Because Will understood.

But although Will understood the most part, he did not know the real reason why she cried.

Katie knew though, and she cried because of what and whom she must leave behind, and of what was to come.

And even though Will's tanned hand lay entwined with Katie's small transparent white one and a blonde head rested against a tawny auburn. Katie was going somewhere where Will couldn't follow.

That very night.

*

Andy frowned. All around him was a seething mass of brown. He was surrounded by an army. An army of acquaintances who under tenuous circumstances had become one whole.

Together they marched up the rolling hills, sloping into unknown places, each one as repetitive as the one before.

Together they marched, to the rhythm of the beating sun, an unceasing swell of men marching for something they shared a belief in. It was this belief that made the unlimited number of hills to conquer an absolute necessary.

It was this belief that Andy had given his old life away for, his dreams, his hopes, and his family. Lost.

And together they all marched, and Andy knew then, that he was surrounded by not just acquaintances, but friends.

Andy smiled.

"


	2. Chapter 2

Katie ran. Platinum hair streamed behind her. Heart beating. Feet pounding the earth below. And she ran. Away from Will, away from the forest, and away from her fears.

_Keep running Katie._

Trees flashed by, their tenuous roots and towering trunks just a blur as Katie flew past. The night was silent. Undisturbed other than an owl flying up from the treetops hooting dignifiedly as its night time hunt was interrupted, and the occasional "ow", as Katie's bare feet struck a weary thorn.

Then silence again. Minutes went by. The night watches on, interested, as Katie slows. Her breathing shallow. Ragged and lost she stumbles, towards the light that glints, oh so welcomingly, through a gap in the trees.

Scratched legs run quickly now. White arms stretch out desperately. Reaching. Reaching. Touching. She is here. And the light engulfs her. Katie sways. Her vision blurring. Her legs give out. And then the world is black.

All black.

*

She wakes. Katie lies motionless on the ground. Eyes clenched shut to block out the strong rush of light glaring down on her. And her ears? They are filled with the rush of blaring horns, and the low drone of engines that make up the busy noise of the motorway.

And then? Nothing. Silence once again.

Now slowly carefully she opens her eyes. And when she does so, she wishes she hasn't.

She is on a hilltop. Red sand falls away from her as she climbs unsteadily to her feet. Katie scans the horizon in alarm. For she is stood not on a solitary hilltop, but one of a thousand, of a million. And the red sand rolls onwards, further and further into the distance, to the horizon and beyond.

And as Katie looks, she starts to walk, slowly, painfully under the steady gaze of the beating sun, into the timeless distance.

Katie walks, onwards, onwards, to the steady rhythm of the sun. Beating, and beating, and beating.

Her journey has begun.

*

_Crack_. Andy swears under his breath, as his binoculars lie smashed on the ground. He bends down and gingerly picks them up. Gently, he shakes them to remove the burning red sand. One of the glasses remains intact, although mildly scratched. "Ah" Andy sighs. It will have to do.

"Shit" He swears again. In his effort at saving his binoculars, his group has left him behind disappearing over the edge of another hill. He runs. Slipping and sliding over the sand in his attempt to clamber upwards. He calls his group "Mika, Anthony, Pablos" Silence. Why do they not reply?

Andy puts in the last of his strength, and heaves his body over the top. Relief. He gets to his feet. Andy stares. Where is his group? He glances around frantically, expecting to see their faces grinning up at him from the bottom of the other side of the hill. And he's right, there they are, staring blankly up. In exasperation Andy slides down to his waiting group at the bottom. By the feet of Pablo there is an upturned bottle of water, its precious liquid spilling away into the thirsty sand.

Andy lets a hint of annoyance creep into his voice "What the hell are you doing Pablo, the water!" There is hardly enough water to keep them going for another day, let alone the few weeks it may take them to find more.

Pablo doesn't respond, and Mika and Anthony stand in silence. Do they not care? Andy finally loses his temper and shakes Pablo. Gripping his red hands around the younger mans cold shoulders. Too cold. Slowly Andy releases Pablo in dawning horror, and as his body falls to the ground, as if in slow motion a metal headed arrow slips out of Pablo's back. Coated in a sticky red substance. Blood.

Andy gasps. Shock disabling him, as he takes in Anthony and Mika's also dull eyes. Dead of the life which had not long ago flowed through their strong young bodies.

Slowly he lowers the bodies of his three teammates to the ground. Not just his teammates, but his friends. And he finally weeps.


	3. Chapter 3

_A timeless bounty of stars hidden by grey misted clouds, watch over the land. They have done this for years. Countless years. But something is happening, something is changing, and the stars are not the only ones to realize._

_The few animals that inhabit this barren land have noticed. And they scurry to find shelter. The birds flying East, to the forests, and the land animals to the caves, and rocks. They can feel it, in the air, in the taste of the water, and in their blood._

A cockroach wriggles to and forth. Burying first its head, then gradually its body as it worms its way into the sand. Katie watches, as finally its wriggling tail disappears out of sight. She sighs, feeling lonelier than ever.

She misses human companionship, and the sound of friendly voices. But most of all, she misses Will. And as she sits crouching on the ground, she wishes so badly that he was here. A solitary tear flows down her cheek. Realizing she's at risk of a crying jag. She sniffs and wipes it away. Then licks her finger, needing to conserve all the water she can.

_Pull yourself together Katie._

And so she does. She glances around, her eyes staring at the strong colours of the barren world that surround her. The strong reds, the darkened browns, and the hazy grey mist that is forming on the dunes to her right. Curious, she stares at it. And then slowly makes her way towards it, and then steps back quickly as the smell of burning flesh fills her nostrils. Quickly, she throws her hand to her mouth, the smell is sickening. A meaty rich smell, which turns her empty stomach.

*

Tears creep down Andy's face, but he adds more of the dry grass that fuels the fire. But it is too much, and the smoke flares up in his face, he coughs, spluttering. And then draws back away from the fire and out of the smoke. This is why he does not see the small figure advancing towards the fire, until it is too late. He darts forward but she has already reached the fire. Together, he and Katie look down. Down at the burning faces of Mika, Anthony and Pablos. Andy's team mates.

*

Katie's eyes widen. She gags. This man, this horrid beast with his grisly chin, and unwashed face is a murderer. He must be.


End file.
